The Artist and the Sculptor
by TKcloud9
Summary: The day Steve came back to the Tower with a new haircut, they all knew something was up. "So how long has this been going on?" Clint asked curiously. "Three months," Steve replied. "When can we meet her?" Natasha asked, starting to grin. Steve's eyes widened. "No."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, a Cap/OC story. It's a fairly short piece, and three quarters fluff. I wrote this awhile ago and forgot about it. So here it is :)**

It was when Steve came in with a new haircut that they first realized something was different. He had a tendency to wander out by himself in New York, usually trying to get up to speed on things, sample new cuisine, tour a museum. But today, apparently, he'd gotten a new haircut. It wasn't quite as 40's as before, but it wasn't totally modern either.

"Hey Capsicle, looking good," Tony said, giving him a thumbs-up.

The good captain gave him a small smile and continued in his search for breakfast.

"Where'd you get your haircut?" Pepper asked.

"A neighbor did it," Steve said.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "We're in Stark Tower, we don't _have_ neighbors."

"Yeah we do. Those brownstones a few blocks down."

"But I thought only hermits and snooty old people live there." Tony looked at Pepper for confirmation, and she nodded.

"She's a sculptor," Steve explained.

Tony and Pepper's eyes widened. "Oh, she's a she," Tony said eagerly. "And? Her name? Is she pretty?"

Steve blushed under the onslaught of questions and said, "It's none of your business."

"Yes, it is," Tony said. "If she's going to be cutting your hair it's definitely my business."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Her name is Amanda Hale, she's a sculptor, and yes." His eyes went unfocused. "She's very pretty," he added.

"Ooh, someone's gotta crush," Pepper said, smiling at him. "And? How did you meet?"

"I was at the Met," Steve said. "I ran into her."

-A-a-A-

He'd been looking at art from the seventies, and he was, frankly, disturbed. He'd been staring at a painting and turned to leave when he crashed into a young woman going by, and they fell to the floor.

"Oh my goodness I'm so sorry," the woman said, scrambling up and trying to grab all of her things and help him up at the same time. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No it's my fault, ma'am," he said, helping her pick up her things. "I'm sorry."

She smiled at him briefly. "I'm always running into people. You're the first person to take the blame for yourself. Congratulations. You've joined the Decent Human Club."

He looked at the papers he handed back to her, noticed the detailed sketches of several sculptures, and decided to reply. "Do I get a membership prize?" he asked, smiling at her.

She shuffled her papers around. "A coffee at the cafeteria?"

Steve grimaced. He'd tasted it before. It was worse than SHIELD coffee. "How about the cafe down the block?" he asked, not quite believing his own boldness.

She grinned. "You're also an _intelligent_ human being," she said. "I'm impressed." She held out a hand. "I'm Amanda, by the way. Amanda Hale."

"Steve," he said, shaking her hand, surprised by her firm grip. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She looked at her watch. "Wanna make it lunch, since it's past noon?"

"Sure."

"Great." She shoved all her papers in a backpack and they headed for the exit. "So," she said, as they walked down the street, "what brings you to a museum on a nice day like this?"

"History project," he said briefly. So far she hadn't recognized him, and he hoped to keep it that way.

"Nice."

"And you, ma'am?" he asked politely.

She blushed. "Please, call me Amanda. I'm not near enough lady-like to be called ma'am."

He eyed her straight posture and her easy confidence and thought otherwise, but agreed. "And you, Amanda?" he asked.

"I was sketching the Egyptian pieces," she said. "I'm a sculptor, and I wanted some details for something Egyptian-influenced I'm working on."

"I'm sorry if I disturbed your work," he said, feeling bad.

"No, don't worry about it," she assured him, smiling. "I needed a break."

They got to the cafe, ordered lunch and coffee, and she asked, "So, what do you do for a living?"

"Guess," he said.

She eyed him appraisingly. "Male model."

He laughed, his cheeks turning a faint red. "No."

"Personal trainer?"

"Nope."

"Boxer?"

"No."

She frowned, her forehead crinkling delightfully. "Fireman?"

"Nope."

Her eyes cleared and she snapped her fingers. "Got it, got it. Soldier."

He nodded. "You got it."

She smiled, pleased. "I knew it."

"How'd you know?" he asked.

"Your posture."

Their food came and they dug in. They chatted throughout their meal, and Steve learned that she lived near Stark Tower, in the old brownstones, over an old couple that always played jazz music. "Not that I mind it," she added. "They're a darling old couple."

They finished their lunch, and Steve paid for lunch, over her objections.

"Well, I have to say your mother must have been a fantastic woman to raise you so well," Amanda said, smiling at him as they left the cafe.

Steve smiled wistfully. "She was."

"Good. Everyone deserves a good mom." Her eyes clouded briefly and she shook it away. "Anyways. Nice to meet you, Steve. I hope we run into each other again."

"Me too," he said, and before she could walk away he blurted, "Do you, I mean, can I have your phone number? Maybe we could meet up again?"

She gave him such a brilliant smile he felt like the sun itself had smiled at him. "Sure," she said. She scribbled her number on a piece of scrap paper and gave it to him. "See you around, soldier."

"See you around," he echoed, and watched her walk away. He grinned.

-A-a-A-

"And then?" Pepper asked eagerly, as soon as he'd finished telling them the story. "Did you call her? I mean of course you called her, but when? And what happened?"

"Two days later," Tony said, snapping his fingers. "Ha! That's why you wanted to try again with the cell phone. I knew something was up!"

Steve turned red. He'd gone to Tony two days later and begged for an indestructible, easy to use smartphone. "Yes, two days later," he admitted.

"And?"

"And she answered."

-A-a-A-

Steve was horribly nervous. He'd been staring at the phone for ten minutes now, trying to get up the nerve to press send. The Stark phone waited for him patiently. "This is ridiculous," he told himself, and pressed send.

She picked up on the fourth ring. "Hello?" she said.

"Hello," Steve said, his brain blanking.

"Steve?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Hi!" she said cheerfully.

"Hi," he said. "Um... I'm going on a sketching trip to the Botanical Gardens and I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me? I mean, if you're not busy."

"I'd love to," she replied. "When?"

"Uh, tomorrow, at 10?"

"Great. Where do you want to meet?"

"I can come pick you up," Steve offered. "Would that be all right?"

She grinned. "That'd be just fine. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

They hung up, and Steve flopped on the couch, sighing in relief. It was a date.

-A-a-A-

"Where did you get all these mad skills?" Tony asked, messing with his tablet.

Steve shrugged. "I don't know."

Tony put something up in the middle of the table. "Amanda Hale, 24."

"Tony!" Pepper and Steve scolded.

"What? It's her Facebook profile. She's 24, a Master's in Art, minor in World History, exhibitions in small galleries over the last 10 years, her dad was an ex-Navy SEAL, her mom died of cancer when she was 10, she's been working on some Egyptian pieces recently. No criminal record, no shady friends, not even a speeding ticket, not associated with anything remotely sinister or government related."

"Is this a mark?" Clint asked, as he and Natasha came in.

" _NO_!" the other three chorused.

"Okay, okay, calm down. Who is it?"

"Steve's girlfriend," Tony said.

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Good job, Rogers."

"She's pretty," Bruce said, as he entered the room, still sleepy-eyed. "Who's that?"

"Steve's girlfriend," Tony, Pepper, Clint, and Natasha chorused.

"No touch," Tony added.

"When can we meet her, Cap?" Clint asked.

"How long have you been dating?" Natasha added. "Does she know who you are?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Tony said, "I still wanna hear about this first date."

Steve groaned. " _Guysssss_..."

"It's really none of our business," Bruce said mildly.

"Thank you," Steve said gratefully.

"Oh come on," Natasha said. "If you don't tell us now, I'm going to go see her."

"Natasha Romanoff I swear if you touch her-" Steve started solemnly.

"I was _kidding_ ," she said, holding up her hands peacefully. "Man, you really got it bad."

"So come on, spill," Clint said. "First date?"

Steve sighed. "I picked her up at 10."

-A-a-A-

He'd debated between taking his motorcycle and taking one of Tony's cars, but he didn't want to have to explain why he wanted to borrow a car, so he took his bike. He arrived on her doorstep promptly at 10, and she came out to meet him. "Good morning," she said cheerfully.

"Good morning," he said, smiling at her.

She was wearing a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater, her hair up in a ponytail, and she was carrying a messenger bag. She was possibly the most perfect picture of casual adventure that Steve had ever seen.

He realized he was staring and gestured to the door. "Shall we?"

She saw his bike and grinned. "Is this yours?"

"Yes."

"It's great."

"Thanks."

She got on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He started the bike and they were on their way. He tried to focus on driving and not on the warm weight on his back, or the warm arms wrapped around his waist.

The entire outing, Steve noticed about 3 flowers. The rest of the time he was looking at, and sketching, Amanda. She was just so entrancing, frowning in concentration as she sketched a rose bush whose flowers were dried and decaying.

"You've been staring at me for half an hour," she mentioned casually, and grinned when he blushed.

"Sorry," he said.

"No it's fine. I know I make weird faces when I work." She pulled a face at him and he laughed.

They spent a couple hours there, and then went to lunch at a pizza parlor. When he dropped her off, she gave him a quick hug. "Thanks for lunch," she said. "I really had a lot of fun today."

"Me too," he said. "I'm glad you came."

She smiled at him and asked, hesitatingly, "Are you free Saturday?"

"Um, yeah."

"Good, because, this guy gave me two tickets for Phantom of the Opera, and I, I know it's a bit much for a second date, but I really don't have anyone else to go with and I don't want to waste 'em-"

"I'd love to go," Steve said, saving her from rambling on.

She blushed but smiled. "Really?"

"Yes. I've always wanted to go see it."

"Great! The show starts at 7."

"I'll pick you up at 5 and we can do dinner before," Steve offered.

"That sounds like a plan," she said, smiling. "See you Saturday?"

"I look forward to it," he said, smiling back.

-A-a-A-

"Wait, _that's_ Amanda?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah..."

" _I_ gave her those tickets."

" _What_?" everyone chorused.

He nodded. "You know how people keep giving us stuff, and I saw this girl lugging a box of clay into a house, so I helped her up the stairs. She was nice, so I gave her the tickets. Not like I was going to use them."

"Aw," Pepper said, putting a hand over her heart, "you set up Steve's second date."

"So what happened?" Clint asked. "How was the show?"

"It was great." Steve smiled fondly.

-A-a-A-

He'd borrowed one of Tony's cars after JARVIS assured him that Mr. Stark didn't need to know.

-A-a-A-

"Hey!" Tony protested. "JARVIS, I always need to know!"

"Tony, be quiet."

-A-a-A-

When Amanda came out of her apartment, Steve's jaw dropped. She was wearing a light blue formal-length dress that hinted at curves but showed nothing but simple elegance, paired with heels. "You look amazing," Steve said honestly.

She blushed. "You don't look too bad yourself."

He tugged at his suit jacket. "Thanks." He offered her his arm, and escorted her downstairs.

" _Nice_ car," she said.

He grinned. "I borrowed it from a friend."

She looked at the license plate. "You're friends with Tony Stark?"

"Sadly, yes."

She snickered.

They went to dinner at a nice restaurant and went to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. It was an incredible experience. They had great seats (thanks to Bruce), and Steve ended up watching Amanda's reactions to the play more than the musical itself, though he did appreciate it.

-A-a-A-

"When did she find out who you are?" Natasha asked.

Steve sighed. "She knew the whole time."

"And she didn't tell you?"

"She wanted me to tell her."

Natasha nodded. "Smart girl."

"She's not a girl."

"Smart woman," Natasha amended.

"Thank you."

"Never mind semantics, how did it _happen_?" Tony pressed.

"it was a week after the Phantom of the Opera," Steve said. "I was at her apartment. She was showing me the sculptures she was working on."

-A-a-A-

He'd been looking at her work in progress when he found a sketch of _him_ , half in normal clothes and half in his Captain America suit. One half of the background was the Met and the other half was the city in ruins. His sketched expression was thoughtful, his pose weary on one side and determined on the other. It looked incredibly real, and Steve felt that it really portrayed him. The only question was: how did she know?

"Steve?" Amanda asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He held out the sketchbook. "How did you know?" he asked quietly.

Her eyes widened, but they twinkled merrily. "Steve, I live five blocks away from Stark Tower. I saw you in action, I've seen you coming in and out of the Tower, jogging. I'd know you anywhere. Plus, the manners, the hairstyle, the lack of pop culture references."

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked.

She looked right into his eyes, blushing, but admitted, "Because I think Steve Rogers is more amazing than Captain America, and I figured someone ought to show you that." She looked down quickly. "I'm sorry for not telling you I knew. I just, I didn't want it to make a difference. I mean, Steve from Brooklyn with an artist? Sure. Why not? But _Captain America_ and an obscure artist? That would never work."

"Why not?" he asked calmly, though inside he was panicking. _Don't break up with me don't break up with me don't end this, pleasepleaseplease..._

She bit her lip. "Because, I don't know. You're famous, and I'm a nobody, and-"

"And neither Steve Rogers nor Captain America care what anybody thinks," he interrupted. He tilted her head up to look at him, and frowned at the sight of tears. "Amanda, you're the first person in this entire century who hasn't treated me like anyone other than myself. You make me feel like I have a place here. For the first time since I woke up I want to be here. With you. And I won't let anyone take that, or you, away."

"Not even Captain America?" she asked, smiling tearfully.

"Especially not him." And he leaned down and sealed the promise with a kiss, cupping her face with his hands. He pulled away after a few heavenly seconds.

She blinked at him, her hands still threaded into his hair. "Okay," she said breathlessly.

He nodded, a bit breathless himself. "Okay."

Things were fine after that. She never brought up his superhero alter ego except to tease him or call him soldier, but now that she knew, he was able to talk to her about it, and with her help and her quiet support, he was slowly coming to terms with everything.

-A-a-A-

"So how long has this been going on?" Clint asked curiously.

"Three months," Steve replied.

"When can we meet her?" Natasha asked, starting to grin.

Steve's eyes widened. "No."

"How do we know she's not a psychopath?" Tony asked.

"She's _not_ ," Steve said.

"Then why shouldn't we meet her? Are you ashamed of her?"

"No!" Steve nearly shouted, and took a deep breath to calm down. "Fine. I'll ask her." His expression grew serious. "But if you mess this up for me..." he trailed off, his gaze threatening.

"We promise to be on our best behavior," Tony said, unexpectedly serious. "We just want you to be happy, Steve."

He nodded. "Thank you guys."

After breakfast he stopped by her house.

She opened the door and smiled. "Steve, come on in."

He noticed she was in pajamas and a sweatshirt, and blushed. "I can come back later..."

"No, this is a lazy day." She waved him into the kitchen. "What's up?"

"My friends want to meet you."

Her eyes widened. "When you say friends?"

"The rest of the Avengers." He watched her reaction closely.

"Why do they want to meet me?" she finally asked.

"They're curious. They also want to make sure you're not a psychopath, apparently."

She laughed. "Will I pass the test?" she asked teasingly.

He smiled at her and shrugged. "Just refrain from talking to yourself and I think you have a chance."

"So when are we doing this?" she asked.

"I don't know. When are you free? Can you come over for dinner one of these days?"

"You know me. I never have plans."

"Friday then?"

"Friday is fine." She frowned. "What do I wear?"

"Uh, casual?"

"Okay." She smiled. "Now that you're here, would you like to have a lazy day?"

"Doing what?"

"Absolutely nothing."

He smiled. "Sounds great."

They had brunch, consisting of waffles and omelets, watched a movie, ate popcorn, went for a walk, had ice cream, went up to the roof and watched clouds, ate mac and cheese for dinner, and cleaned up to the sounds of Wheel of Fortune.

"I think this was the best day of my life," Steve said honestly, as he dried the dishes.

"Really?" Amanda asked, surprised. "We didn't do anything. I thought you'd be bored out of your mind by now."

"I think that's why I liked it," he said. "No responsibilities, no lives hanging in the balance. Just you and me." He leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek.

She blushed. "Well, any day you want to be lazy, you know where to find me."

"I'll keep that in mind."

He returned to the Tower and as soon as he entered everyone chorused, "Well?"

"Friday night, dinner," he said.

"Nice. How does pizza sound?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: More tooth-rotting fluff :)**

Friday night rolled around and Amanda arrived promptly at five. Steve met her in the lobby and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "You look nice," he said.

"Good enough for superheroes?" she asked nervously.

"Good enough for friends," he assured her, taking her hand.

She smiled. "Right. Okay." She squeezed his hand. "Lead the way, soldier."

He brought her up to the common rooms and as they got out he squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Guys," he said, as everyone turned to look at the couple, "this is Amanda. Amanda, this is Tony, Pepper, Bruce, Clint, and Natasha. Thor isn't here right now."

"Hi," Amanda said, giving them a small smile.

"It's nice to meet you," Pepper said, stepping forward to give her a hug. "I hope you like pizza."

"Do you want a beer?" Tony added, handing her one.

"Oh. Thanks."

There was a bit of an awkward silence as they settled onto the couch, and finally Bruce said, "So, what do you do?"

"I'm a sculptor."

"And what do you do for money?" Tony asked.

Steve bristled at the question but Amanda patted his knee lightly and he calmed down, scooting closer to her on the couch. "I'm actually independently wealthy," she said. "Hence the downtown Manhattan apartment. I do get income from my art though, and I work on commission."

"Nice." Tony raised his beer bottle. "Here's to inheritance."

She grinned. "Hear, hear."

The pizza arrived and they moved to the dining room. They ate, chatted, and Amanda was right at home with their crazy banter, and didn't seem star struck at all. It was 9 when she decided to go home. "I've got a gallery showing tomorrow," she said. "Gotta get up bright and early to set up."

"I'll walk you home," Steve offered.

She smiled. "I'd like that."

They all said goodbye, the girls made plans to go on a shopping trip, and as soon as the couple was in the elevator Tony said, "I like her. She's perfect for ole Capsicle."

As Steve and Amanda were walking home he asked, "So, what do you think of my friends?" He looked anxious.

She laughed. "I love them. A bit nosy, but they really care for you. The question is, do they approve of _me_?"

"If they hadn't, you would've known," Steve said wryly. "Subtlety is not the Avengers' strong suit."

"I noticed that," she said, as they reached her apartment. She paused on the threshold of the door. "Steve?"

"Yes?"

"Would you, would you come see my gallery showing tomorrow?" she asked, suddenly shy. "I know its short notice, but I really want you to be there."

He smiled. "I'd love to."

"Great." She smiled, and then frowned. "Um, there might be journalists there."

"Probably."

"Are you, I mean, is that okay?" she asked.

He smiled at her reassuringly. "I'm not ashamed of you, if that's what you're asking. I don't care if the whole world knows we're going steady." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead.

She giggled at the old-fashioned phrase and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly. "Thank you," she said.

"Do you want me to come early to help you get set up?" he asked.

"You don't have to."

"I want to, though." He smiled. "I've never seen how a gallery gets set up." He gave her his best puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

She melted under his sincere gaze. "Fine." She gave him another peck on the lips. "Be here at 7, tomorrow. Jeans and a T-shirt is fine; we don't have to be dressed up till later."

He nodded. "Until tomorrow then. Good night."

"Good night."

He walked back to the Tower, smiling, and went up to the living room to find the Avengers waiting for him in conference. "So?" he asked nervously. "What do you think?"

"She's cute," Clint said.

"And we approve," Tony finished.

Steve raised an eyebrow. "You rehearsed that didn't you?"

"Maybe..."

He grinned.

-A-a-A-

Steve was actually extremely helpful - with his super strength he was able to move sculptures and bases quite easily.

"You are a lifesaver," Amanda said gratefully. She glanced around the small gallery. "It looks good. Just in time too. Time to get dressed."

He drove her back to her apartment and went back to the tower to change. He was going to pick her up, so he had to be quick. He also knew that there was a distinct possibility of their relationship ending up in the news, and he didn't want to put her in a bad light.

"What are you guys doing?" Steve asked, when he saw the others in various states of nice dress.

"Duh, we're going to the public opening of a new gallery exhibit," Tony said.

" _What_?"

"One for all and all for one," Tony said, slapping him on the back. "If your ship status goes viral, at least they'll know we heartily approve."

"Plus we're bored," Clint added.

"Whatever. Just, don't make this about you. This is Amanda's success."

"We won't," Natasha said. "We know how important it is for you."

"Thank you," Steve said gratefully.

-A-a-A-

When he picked her up his jaw dropped. "You're beautiful," he said.

She blushed. She was wearing a knee length black dress with silver beading at the waist and before he'd said anything she wasn't feeling very pretty. "You don't look too bad yourself."

He offered her his arm and they headed towards the gallery. "By the way, there might be a small problem," he said nervously.

Her eyes widened. "What kind of problem?"

"Well, nothing too bad. What I mean to say is that my friends might be coming." He rubbed the back of his neck ruefully. "Sorry."

"Oh," she said, after a startled moment.

"Yeah. There's not much you can do if they decide they like a person."

It's fine," Amanda said, smiling. "At least people will be interested." She smirked. "Who knows? I might become a fad."

He smiled. She was always finding the silver lining of everything.

The gallery showing was perfect. The Avengers came and stood there subtly, and completely deflected all questions to Amanda. Steve was the perfect boyfriend and stood with Amanda and put a gentle hand on her back while they sipped their champagne.

The gallery showing finished at around 11 o'clock, and then they went out for drinks afterwards.

"I can definitely say this is a high point in my life," Amanda said, taking a sip of her drink.

"Surrounded by superheroes and holding hands with your handsome boyfriend?" Tony asked. "Yep, I can say that this is definitely a high point in your life."

Amanda smirked and leaned further into Steve's arms. "Wouldn't be complete without you, Tony," she sassed.

"She's a definite keeper," Tony said to Steve. "She appreciates me."

They all rolled their eyes.

-A-a-A-

The next day the media was awash with rumors and speculations. Steve waved the newspaper in Tony's face. "Look," he said.

"Captain America's Secret Marriage," Tony read. He raised an eyebrow. "You have something you wanna tell us, Steve?"

"This was a bad idea," Steve said, taking the paper away from him and pacing back and forth. "We shouldn't have gone. She's going to be swamped by the press, we're going to be swamped by the press, everything we do is going to be in the papers..." He slumped into a chair and put his head on the table. "She's going to hate me."

His phone rang. He looked at the caller ID.

Tony grinned. "It's Amanda isn't it?"

"Yeah." He answered, trying to ignore the shaking in his hands. "Hello?"

"Steve? Have you seen the papers?"

"Yeah..."

She laughed heartily. "Isn't it great? I mean, we didn't even kiss in public and they're saying that we're married and everything. People are so dumb."

He sighed in relief and managed a laugh. "Yes they are," he said. Then more hesitantly, "You're not bothered by it? They'll be swarming all around us."

"I'm not happy about it, but I don't really mind it." She smiled. "I resigned myself to that when we started 'going steady.'"

He smirked. "Are you making fun of me?" he asked.

She laughed. "Make fun of Captain America? Never."

"Uh-huh." He grinned. "Dinner tomorrow? We're going to have to face them at one point."

"Together?" Amanda asked.

"Always."

"Sounds good. Love you." She froze.

Steve was similarly frozen on the other end of the line. Had he just heard what he thought he heard? He cleared his throat and attempted a nonchalant tone. "Love you too."

She sighed in relief and nearly split her cheeks from smiling so hard. "See you tomorrow."

"How about we make it tonight?" Steve asked, suddenly unable to fathom going more than one day without seeing her.

"Sure."

Steve hung up and turned around to see Tony grinning his face off. "What?" Steve asked defensively.

"You said the L-word," Tony said in a sing-song tone. "You're in _love_. And even better, she said it first!" He held up his coffee. "To undying love, may it never freeze."

Steve frowned at him but realized he wasn't kidding. "Thank you," he said, raising his own coffee cup.

That evening couldn't come fast enough. He ended up at her house at four o'clock, and stared at her door for a good ten minutes.

"Steve?" The door opened and she smiled at him questioningly. "What are you doing?"

"I was going to knock," he said, turning red.

She waved him inside. "Have a seat. I've barely started getting ready."

He sat on the couch and watched as she wandered back and forth, picking things up. She went into the bedroom and came out dressed in a nice blue skirt and a black sweater. "Have you seen, oh never mind." She picked up the earrings on the table and went into the bathroom. "You wanna watch a movie or something?" she asked, trying to look at him in the mirror while she brushed her hair in front of the sink.

He smiled, suddenly overwhelmed with her perfection. "No," he said, wrapping his arms around her in a huge hug and lifting her off her feet as he buried his face in her hair. "No, I think I'm good."

She laughed and twisted around in his arms to face him. "Hi."

"Hi," he breathed, kissing her. "I love you," he said, when he finally drew back.

"I love you," she replied, burying her face in his chest.

He finally let her go to finish getting ready and when they walked outside, there was a flash mob of press waiting for them, reporters yelling questions at them and people snapping pictures. Amanda squeezed Steve's hand tightly and he squeezed back gently to reassure her. "I can confirm that Miss Hale and I are in a committed relationship," he said to the reporters in his 'I'm Captain America so what I say goes' tone, and in that brief second of startled 'aww', he whisked her away on his motorcycle.

"That wasn't so bad," Amanda said, resting her chin on his shoulder to talk right into his ear. "Was that your official Captain America voice?"

"Maybe?" he said, turning red.

"I like it," she whispered, making him turn the color of a fire truck.

They got to the restaurant, and the management welcomed them with open arms and a secluded corner table.

"This is nice," Amanda said, looking out on the waterfront.

Steve smiled and pushed her chair in for her. "Perks of being a," his voice lowered dramatically, "superhero."

She laughed at his theatrics and they held hands across the table.

Their dinner was beautiful and lovely, and when they walked home no one bothered them.

Steve dropped Amanda at her door after a long goodnight kiss, and she walked in - to find Natasha standing in her living room, looking relaxed and dangerous, like a panther.

"Uh... hi?" she asked cautiously. "Am I going to die now?"

"Steve really loves you," the super spy said frankly, making the artist relax. "I've never seen anyone that he's ever connected to besides us. And I can tell you love him too."

"Okay?" Amanda said hesitantly.

"But you're a civilian," Natasha continued, "and that automatically makes you a liability, because you don't know how to defend yourself, and our enemies _will_ come after you."

"So what are you saying?" Amanda asked, eyes widening.

"I'm saying, that if you are not prepared to accept him with all the secret missions and the dangers and the baggage he carries from the forties, you need to break it off now before he's even more involved with you."

Amanda stared at her. "I don't know if Steve's told you, but my father was in the Special Forces. I know what it is not to ask questions, to wait for him to come back, to see the bruises and the broken legs and the weariness in his soul and not be able to do anything except hold him. I want to be there for him. I don't care if that puts a target on my back or cameras follow me down the street, because I love him and I know that he won't ever let me down. I want to make this work."

Natasha relaxed marginally and smiled at her. "Good. Starting tomorrow I'll teach you self-defense and how to shoot. After you talk to Steve about it." She put a light hand on the other woman's shoulder. "See you tomorrow."

"Okay." Amanda smiled briefly. "Thank you."

The spy nodded, and slipped out silently.

-A-a-A-

The next morning, she called Steve and said, "Hey, uh, can I come over?"

"Yeah of course," he replied. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I just, have to talk to you about something that happened."

"Sure." He met her in the lobby, nervous. When people said, 'We need to talk,' it was usually something bad. He led her up to his apartment and they sat down. "Soo..."

"Natasha came to see me last night," Amanda blurted. "Scared the pants off me waiting in the dark like that."

Steve's eyes narrowed. "I'll talk to her later."

"No," Amanda assured him, "it's fine. She just wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting into, with you."

"Do you?" he asked.

"I think so."

"And you're okay with it?" he asked. "I won't lie to you, I promise, but there are some things I just can't tell you."

"I know." She linked her arms around his waist and leaned forward onto his chest. "I trust you."

He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her tiny frame closer. "Thank you."

"Also, she offered to teach me self-defense."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's, actually a good idea. Do you think you can handle it?"

"I don't know. But I need to do it."

"I wish you didn't have to," he said sorrowfully. He tucked her under his chin. "I wish I could keep you safe from the whole world."

"You can't keep me in a box, Steve," she sighed.

"I know. I wouldn't do that to you." He smiled slightly. "You need your artist space."

"Yes I do."

-A-a-A-

The training started that same day. Natasha went easy on her at first, but she was strict. "Every day we'll practice unless I'm on a mission," the spy told her.

The trained in the afternoons and afterwards Amanda showered and changed, and hung out with the Avengers.

One day after a particularly hard day, Amanda could barely move, she was so sore. Steve found her in the gym, sitting on the ground, staring pitifully at her shoes as her freshly-washed hair dripped onto her shirt.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Everything hurts," she said. "And I'm pretty sure I'm gonna bruise." She winced. "And I can't put my shoes on."

He knelt down and put her shoes on for her. "I'll tell Nat to ease up," he promised.

"No, it's fine," she said. She tried to get up and groaned. "Maybe I'll just stay here."

He smirked. "Don't worry ma'am. I'll save you." He picked her up bridal-style and carried her into the elevator.

"Steve!" she squeaked, alarmed but giggling. She put her arms around his neck and after she was assured he wouldn't drop her she snuggled into his chest.

He felt something warm blossom in his chest as he held her. He didn't ever want to let go of her. But he set her down in the living room and got her two Advil and a Gatorade, and without being asked, pulled her legs into his lap and started massaging her sore muscles.

She melted back into the cushions. "Oh, you are the best," she said happily. "Simply the best."

He smiled at her. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure."

"JARVIS, can you put something on from the list?" he asked. Soon after he'd told her he was Captain America, the two of them had compiled a list of movies to watch together, and they were slowly making their way through them.

"Of course sir," JARVIS said. "The Hunt for Red October is the next one."

"Sure."

The movie came on and they settled in to watch it, Steve continuing the massage on her arms and shoulders.

"Well you two seem cozy," Bruce said, coming in for a snack. He grinned at their twin blushes and asked, "Is this a date or can I join the movie?"

"The more the merrier," Amanda said, after sharing a glance with Steve. "Bad day at work?" she asked, seeing the tenseness in the doctor's shoulders.

"Yeah. Tony's being especially irritating today."

"I totally understand," Steve said.

"Hey, your slang's getting better," Amanda said, reaching up to peck him on the cheek. "Those books paid off, huh?"

"Yeah, they did," he said, pressing a kiss to her hair. "You're a genius."

Bruce smiled at the cuteness.

"Aw, it's the diabetic coma inducing couple," Tony gushed sarcastically, coming into the kitchen to refill his coffee mug. He sprawled dramatically on the counter. "Bruce, catch me, I'm going into a coma."

Bruce let out a long-suffering sigh. "He's been doing that all day," he confided in a stage whisper.

"Well they're just so _cute_ ," Tony said, dropping onto the other couch. "Look at them, all cuddly and tender."

Amanda kissed Steve lovingly. "Aw, he thinks we're so sweet." She turned to look at Tony who was fake-gagging at the sweetness. "See? Why would we want to ruin any of this?"

"I swear you two are going to give me cavities," Tony muttered, making a face.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Some adventure in this one.**

Life continued as normal until one day, as Amanda was sitting at a cafe waiting for Steve, she was approached by a man in a trench coat. "Excuse me Miss Hale," he said, sitting down across from her. "I'm from SHIELD."

"Can I see some ID?" she asked suspiciously. SHIELD agents didn't go in for trench coats. They wore suits.

He handed her an ID and she looked at it closely. Clint had showed her the difference between a real and a fake, and this was fake. She swallowed hard. _Don't panic. Don't panic. Steve will be here. Just keep him talking_. "What's this about?" she asked, handing the ID back.

"SHIELD is very interested in your relationship with Captain Rogers," he said. "Can you tell me how that's going for you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I don't see how that's any of your business. What was your name again?"

"Mr. Davis."

 _SHIELD always introduces itself as Agent._ "Well, Mr. Davis why didn't you go to Mr. Barton or Ms. Romanoff? They have plenty of details."

"We wanted it straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak."

"I believe you're sitting in my seat," said Steve, in his best 'who-do-you-think-you-are-and-what-are-you-doing-within-three-feet-of-my-girl,' voice. He held out a hand to the intimidated Mr. Davis. "Steve Rogers," he said dangerously, squeezing the man's hand painfully. "And you are?"

"Um, I'm, ah, you know what? I'll let you two enjoy your breakfast." He got up awkwardly.

Amanda reached out and snagged something from his pocket. "Ahem. I didn't know SHIELD carries reporter mics in their pockets."

Mr. Davis paled.

"He introduced himself as SHIELD?" Steve asked, eyes narrowing. He grabbed the man's arm. "Impersonating a SHIELD agent is a federal offense," he said. "Let's go outside." He called Natasha, who was scarier than any other SHIELD agent, and as they put Mr. Davis in the car, he leaned over and said, "If you ever try to get to me through my girl, you will regret it." He slammed the door and walked away.

"Everything okay?" Amanda asked, when he came back inside.

He nodded. "A-ok," he said, sitting down.

She reached out to hold his hand, and rubbed her thumb over his white-knuckled grip. "Hey," she said, "you want to get out of here?"

He nodded. "Yeah, sure."

They left the cafe and walked along the streets, his arm around her waist possessively. "Hey," she said, shoving him lightly, getting him to look at her. "What's wrong?"

He looked at her, shame-faced, and admitted, "I don't know. I just got insanely jealous when I saw him sitting with you. And angry that he would try and use you."

She stretched out on her tip-toes to kiss him lightly on the lips. "You have nothing to be jealous about," she promised him seriously. "I love you, no one else."

"I know," he said, hugging her. "I love you too."

She smiled. "Come on then. Let's go on a gallery walk."

They visited a few galleries that day, and came back to the Tower relaxed and happy.

-A-a-A-

It wasn't two weeks later that Amanda was abducted. One minute, she was asleep in her room, the next, she was being shaken awake by rough hands. "What-" she started, but a slap to the face made her whimper and freeze. She felt groggy, sick to her stomach.

"Silence," a heavily-accented voice said, and pulled her out of the tiny cot.

She swallowed hard and looked at her surroundings, trying to stop the spinning in her head. It was a dusty, grimy old cellar with a tiny cot and no windows. It was cold. She was manhandled down a hallway and into another room, where there was a chair and a video camera set up. She felt a cold chill run down her spine.

"Sit," the man said, shoving her into the chair so hard her teeth rattled, and he punched her in the face. He turned on the video camera and trained it on the gasping and shaking Amanda. "Avengers," he said. "As you can see we have Captain America's girlfriend," the word was a sneer, "in our grasp. She has been quite a submissive guest so far." He zoomed in. "Say hello to our friends," he ordered sharply.

Amanda lifted her head, wiping the blood off her mouth. "Please, stop this," she whimpered, trying to be strong and hating herself when she couldn't. The world rolled around her and she pressed a hand to her temple, trying to keep it together. She received a cuff to the side of the head and curled up into a miserable little ball.

"That was a warning," the man told her darkly. He returned behind the camera. "We will make a deal. The girl, for Captain America. Trade one lovebird for the other. You have twelve hours. Any attempt to recover the girl, well, it won't be pretty." He turned off the video camera, came over, and handcuffed one of her hands to the chair. He scowled at her, and left.

Amanda took a deep breath and wiped the blood off the corner of her mouth. Steve would find her. He was Captain America. He had the Avengers. He would find her.

-A-a-A-

The video arrived the day after she'd been abducted.

Steve called Amanda twice that day to see if she wanted to hang out. "She must be working," he said, frowning as he hung up the second call.

"Well, everybody's gotta make a living," Tony said, patting him on the shoulder.

JARVIS spoke up. "Sir, I believe the Avengers should assemble in the living room."

"What's wrong?" Tony asked, as they all went into the living room.

JARVIS put the video up without a word and let it play.

Steve went pale as soon as he saw the trembling form of Amanda, and he gritted his teeth.

They were absolutely silent as they watched the video and as soon as it ended they were in an uproar. "JARV, track that video, when was it sent, guys, suit up, right now!"

JARVIS had the location for them within ten minutes and they were in the jet in five. Steve nearly crushed the frame of the seats in his anxiety.

"Hey Cap, calm down," Clint said. "Bruce is this close to Hulking out on us as it is, you need to keep it calm."

Steve's eyes narrowed. "They have my girl. I am perfectly calm. I will continue to be calm until she is safe."

"Okay, that's good. Keep it together."

-A-a-A-

Amanda was back in the room with the cot. Besides the trip from one room to the other, no one had come to get her. So she curled up in the corner of the cot with her back against the wall and tried to think happy thoughts. It was mostly thoughts of Steve. Steve, and food. A giant hamburger and fries was all she wanted right now. She was so groggy and dizzy though, she knew she was probably delirious. Or dying. That would make her hamburger her last meal. She wondered if Russians did that for their hostages.

She was half-asleep when she heard the sounds of gunfire and fighting. She uncurled from her little ball cautiously and waited. She heard a familiar shout, and grinned. "Steve!" she called, and heard a few satisfying thunks.

The door flew open, and Captain America rushed in, in all his uniformed glory. "Amanda!" he said, the relief radiating from him in waves. He gathered her into his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"

She shook her head, clinging to his broad chest fiercely, nearly sobbing in relief. "I'm okay, I'm fine. You came for me."

"Of course I did," he soothed.

"Cap, what's the situation?" Tony asked, knocking out a wall.

"I've got her, we're coming up."

"We've got you covered," Clint said. "Go."

Steve hustled Amanda out of the room, down the hallway, and up the stairs. As they emerged into the bright sun, he realized awkwardly that she was only dressed in a thin tank top and a pair of cotton pajama shorts, and nothing else. He wrapped an arm around her and led her to the jet, where Bruce was waiting. The Hulk hadn't been needed for this little adventure, so Dr. Banner was standing by with the med kit and other supplies. He took in Amanda's shivering state and produced a thick SHIELD-issue blanket.

"Here," Steve said, wrapping it around Amanda's shoulders and sitting her down in the jet. He knelt in front of her, keeping tight hold of her hand, while Banner checked her vitals and the rest of the team finished with the Russians.

"She's dehydrated and hasn't slept or eaten two days, maybe three," Bruce said quietly. "She's still showing signs of drug-induced disorientation and her body's going into shock. Whatever they drugged her with was enough for an elephant. I'm amazed she's even awake."

"We can't take her back to her apartment," Clint said, reading off the report. "It's not secure, and they trashed it."

Steve glanced at Tony.

Tony nodded.

"Okay. Let's get back to the tower." Steve went to sit next to her and wrapped her in a hug. "Hey, it's okay," he said softly, feeling the trembling of her body. "You're safe. It's over." He smoothed her hair away from her forehead and caught sight of a nasty gash near her hairline. His eyes narrowed. "Bruce," he said quietly.

Bruce cleaned the wound and pressed a bandage to her head. "Keep her awake," he instructed.

"Hey," Steve said, touching Amanda's cheek gently. "Amanda? Can you hear me, love?"

"I'm awake," she muttered, burrowing into the blanket for comfort.

"That's good." He gave her a light kiss. "When we get to the tower you can take a nice hot shower and put on some clean clothes. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," she replied, closing her eyes wearily. "I wanna hamburger."

"And we'll get you one," Steve promised.

They got to the Tower and he carried her into the designated guest room. He let Natasha help her shower and change, and when Natasha came out, she looked solemn. "She's asleep," Natasha informed them, dropping onto the couch next to Clint. "She was barely conscious anyway, I think we're going to have to let her just sleep it off."

Bruce nodded. "And as soon as she wakes up we need to get some food and water in her," he said. "Steve, you got that?"

"Yeah." He headed back to Amanda's room, and paused in the doorway. "Thank you, guys," he said.

"Hey, she's your girl," Tony said. "You'd do the same if it was Pepper. We protect our own."

Steve nodded, and entered the bedroom. He found Amanda passed out under the covers, her clean wet hair spread out on the pillow. He pulled a chair over next to her bed and sat down.

"Steve?" she mumbled, an hour or so later.

"I'm right here, honey," he said, taking her hand.

She tugged him closer. "Cold," she whimpered, turning towards him.

"I'll get you a blanket," he said, trying to let go of her hand.

"Stay," she mumbled, tugging him closer. "Cuddle." She gave a little sleepy sigh. "Steve."

He realized she wasn't even awake, and smiled in spite of himself. He lay down on top of the covers and wrapped an arm around her. She burrowed into his side and laid her head on his shoulder. "I love you," he said softly.

"Mmm," she said happily in her sleep-state.

-A-a-A-

He must have fallen asleep himself, and he woke up when Amanda started to move. He tightened his grip reflexively, and then let her go. She rolled over, stretched, yawned, and opened one eye to stare at him blearily. "Steve," she said, her voice hoarse.

"Hey," he said, smiling at her a little awkwardly.

"Why are you-" She stopped and her face acquired a stricken expression. Her fingers moved up to touch the bandage on her head. "That was all real wasn't it?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"I thought I was dreaming."

"I'm sorry," he said.

She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. "But you saved me," she said, her breath tickling his ear. "You came and got me, like you promised. Thank you."

He kissed her lightly. "Always," he promised, hugging her tightly.

She relaxed in his arms and almost seemed to go to sleep again. "I'm hungry," she finally said, a few minutes later.

He laughed. "Let me guess, a hamburger and fries."

"How'd you know?"

"You were talking in your sleep."

She blushed crimson and hid her face. "That's embarrassing."

"It was actually adorable," he corrected her. He sat up and scooped her out of the bed. "Come on. I'm pretty sure Tony brought food." He led her out.

"We're at Stark Tower?"

"Yes."

"What happened to my apartment?"

He winced. He'd seen the pictures. "They, ah, broke all the windows, ripped the furniture, blew up the microwave, and torched the studio."

She let out an indignant squeak. "What? Where am I going to stay?"

"Here with us," Steve said promptly.

"Oh, I couldn't-"

"Yes, you can," Tony interrupted, from the kitchen. "If you don't I'm pretty sure Steve would kill me. And then Pepper would be sad."

"I would," Pepper said, nodding.

"Please," Steve said, giving her a pleading expression.

She couldn't resist those honest blue eyes. "Fine," she said, with a sigh. "Thank you guys."

"Don't mention it," Tony said. "No really, don't. I hate sentimentality."

Steve waited on her hand and foot, and after she ate the Big Mac and the fries, she fell asleep on the couch, her head resting on his chest.

"Say cheese," Pepper said, snapping a picture of the couple on her phone. "Aw, you guys are so cute."

"I'm not cute," Steve protested.

"Yeah, you are," Clint said, grinning. "All, over-protective cuddly boyfriend over there."

"Whatever."

They put on a movie, and Amanda woke up when they started arguing over plot holes. She joined in the argument, gladly, and it was resolved with a piece of duct tape over Tony's mouth.

Halfway through the movie, Amanda started to tremble again. She laid her head on Steve's shoulder, feeling sick. "Steve," she said, his name catching in her throat. That was all she could say, and her eyes rolled back in her head as she started to shake violently.

"Amanda!" He caught her before she slid off the couch. "Guys!"

Bruce took over immediately. "Lay her on her side on the floor," he said. "Don't let her head fall. JARVIS, call SHIELD, have them ready to receive a medical emergency." He looked at her eyes, felt her pulse, and swore under his breath. "She's having some sort of seizure; I don't know what caused it. Maybe the drug they injected her with."

"I thought it all wore off," Tony said, holding a pale Pepper.

"I thought so too."

"What do we do?" Steve asked desperately, holding her down so she wouldn't hurt herself.

"We can't do anything," Bruce said. "We have to ride it out."

Those were the longest ten minutes of Steve's life, and he nearly cried in relief when she finally slumped, boneless, onto the carpet, her jaw falling slack. He gathered her in his arms and smoothed her hair out of her face gently.

"Now what?" Clint asked, shaken. He'd had to literally sit on Amanda's knees to keep her from kicking and hurting herself.

"We get her to the hospital," Bruce said firmly. "We need to run blood work and a scan, and I need a copy of her medical files to see if she's allergic to anything."

They got her to SHIELD HQ in record time, and by the time they got there Tony had her complete medical history. "No history of seizures and no record of any drug allergies," he reported, handing it to Bruce.

"Okay." Bruce followed the gurney into the med bay. "Steve, you have to stay out here."

"No."

Bruce sighed, knowing it was no use to argue. "Come on then."

They drew two vials of blood, hooked her up to an IV of electrolytes, and put in a heart monitor and brain activity monitor as well. Steve sat beside the bed and held her hand.

She woke up an hour later, groggy, and completely disoriented. "Where, what, who?" she asked, slurring slightly.

"Hey," Steve said, squeezing her hand slightly. "It's okay. You had a seizure in the living room, remember? We brought you to the hospital. We're at SHIELD right now."

She blinked at him. Her whole brain felt fuzzy and her tongue felt thick. "Who are you?" she asked.

Steve's heart dropped into his stomach. "I'm Steve Rogers," he said, gently, giving her an encouraging smile. "You remember me, right?"

"Steve," she breathed, closing her eyes. "My Steve..."

"Yes," he said, pleased. "Do you remember your name?"

"'manda," she said.

"Good job." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

Bruce came in to check on her. "Hey, there she is," he said, smiling at her and pulling out a pocket light. "Can you open your eyes?"

She winced away from the light and screwed her eyes shut. "Ow, whassat, a spotlight?" she asked, still slurring her words.

"Sorry." To Steve, he mouthed, "photosensitivity." He checked her temperature. "How do you feel, Amanda? Any dizziness, shakiness, disorientation?"

"Yes," she said.

"Which one?"

"All."

"Okay." He gave her an encouraging smile. "Hang in there."

"I'll be right back," Steve told her, and pulled Bruce into the hallway. "What's wrong with her?" he demanded.

Bruce took a deep breath. "All signs point to some sort of severe poisoning," he said. "We're testing, but it seems like some sort of metal poisoning."

"Was it something they did to her?"

"Probably."

Steve clenched his fists. "I'm going to go talk to the one we brought in."

Bruce placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "Let Natasha handle that. You need to stay with Amanda. She's severely disoriented and it looks like she's experiencing memory loss. Trust me, she's going to need you."

Steve relaxed marginally. "All right."

"Good. Now, we need to start filtering her blood and we need a full body scan just in case. Go in there and explain it to her."

Steve nodded. "I can do that."

"Okay."

-A-a-A-

Natasha came back later, grimly victorious. "They injected a tiny dissolving scanner into her neck," she informed them. "Apparently the whole thing was a ruse. They were going to give her back, and spy on us until the camera dissolved. But they didn't count on it dissolving so fast."

"So it's poisoning her," Tony added.

"Yes."

Steve gritted his teeth. "Can we take the rest of it out?"

"We're going to have to," Bruce said. "If we don't, the continued release of toxins and metal could kill her."

-A-a-A-

So they operated, and found a tiny, thimble size metal mass nestled next to her collarbone. They removed it, flushed the tissues around it, and started her on an intense blood-scrubbing filter and a ton of detox with a deliberately induced fever.

"It's like a controlled withdrawal system," Bruce explained. "We're going to keep her fever at a level where she can sweat it out and keep filtering her blood in the meantime." He handed Steve a soft cold cloth. "Your job is to keep her comfortable as possible."

"Okay."

Watching her toss and turn and sweat, and watching her blood filter in a closed circuit through a little machine, Steve felt sick and helpless. He could remember his own days of being intensely ill, but he couldn't bear to see her like that. He couldn't leave her, though, and he didn't. He stayed by her side for 36 hours, wiping her face with a cold cloth and getting her to drink as much water and Gatorade as possible.

Finally, the doctors agreed that she was as clean as she was going to get, and brought her fever down to a normal temperature. Steve was kicked out while they pulled the filters from her and cleaned her up, changing her from her sweat-soaked gown into clean pajamas. When he was allowed back in, she looked much better, and she was sleeping peacefully.

He leaned over to kiss her forehead lightly, and sat down at her bedside. He was going to stay here until she woke up.

The other Avengers came and went, checking on them, and Steve steadfastly refused to leave her side. "I'm not going anywhere," he told Natasha.

"Steve, you haven't slept in 3 days," Natasha told him. "You haven't eaten in 2 days, and you need a shave. Come on, I'll stay with her."

"After she wakes up," he said.

"Rogers, so help me, if you don't get your-"

"Steve?" came a tired whisper.

They both froze and whipped around to see Amanda. She was blinking at them, confused. "What's going on?" she asked, her speech clear.

He swooped in and kissed her, grinning in relief. "Hey," he said.

"Hi?" she said, accepting the kisses he showered on her.

"Do you remember what happened?" Natasha asked, smiling.

"Kind of?" Amanda frowned. "I was in that room, and then you saved me, and then, I was here?" she finished uncertainly.

Natasha explained what had happened, since Steve couldn't do anything except hold Amanda's hand and smile, and then said, "I'll leave you two alone for a minute. Steve, you have exactly one minute before I get Iron Man in here to drag you out."

"Fine."

Amanda sat up and hugged him tightly. "You should go sleep, Steve," she said, rubbing his frowny forehead softly. "I'm okay now."

"I know," he said, still unwilling to let go of her. "You should rest, too. Your body's still weak."

She yawned. "I noticed." She kissed him and giggled. "And shave before you come back. I don't like scratchy kisses."

He grinned and rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Owwwww, go away, meanie," she said, shoving him playfully. She pressed a kiss to his nose. "Thank you," she said, suddenly serious.

"Anything for my girl," he said, equally serious.

Natasha cleared her throat from outside the door. "AHEM."

"All right, all right, calm down Romanoff." He left.

Natasha came in bearing jello and chicken soup. "Hungry?" she asked.

"Starved."

-A-a-A-

After another day for observation and further blood tests, SHIELD sent Amanda home with the Avengers, under strict instructions not to let her fall into enemy hands again.

That night Amanda went to bed early. The others went to bed at their normal times, but as soon as Steve closed his eyes he saw Amanda lying on the floor, pale and trembling. He shot upright in bed, ad got up. He had to see her, make sure she was okay.

He silently went to her guest suite and opened the door to her bedroom. She was curled up under the covers, her chest rising and falling steadily as she slept. He hovered over her, feeling like a creeper but at the same time he felt completely justified.

Amanda felt someone's eyes on her and opened her eyes a fraction. "Steve?" she asked groggily. "What's the matter?"

"Sorry," he said, backpedaling towards the door. "I just, I, uh, sorry. I'll just, ah," he fumbled in the dark, he couldn't find the door.

"Wait, wait, JARVIS, lights," Amanda said, sitting up. She winced in the bright light. "Steve, come here."

He sat down gingerly next to her.

She took his hand and held it in her lap. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry for waking you," he said. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

She returned the grin. "I thought the victim was supposed to get the insecurities and the nightmares?"

"I can't help it," he said. "I don't think I could stand it if anything happened to you." He scooted over and pulled her into his arms. "You nearly died and I couldn't do anything to help you. it scared me."

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice muffled in his shirt.

"It wasn't your fault. It was mine, for not taking care of you."

"Steve, you're an idiot." She kissed his cheek warmly. "There's no way you could have predicted something like that happening. The only thing you could do was be there for me, and you were." She kissed him lightly. "I remember you being there every second for me. That's the only thing I needed from you." She rubbed his tense neck and shoulders. "Now it's my turn. What do you need from me?"

He let his head drop back onto the headboard. "Well, if you could just keep doing that, that'd be perfect..."

She smiled and dug into the sore spots on his neck. "Hands of a sculptor," she said softly, kissing his neck. "Humans are just another form of clay."

"Very philosophical," he muttered, nearly falling asleep as the tension continued to flow out of him.

"There it is," she said, dissolving a particularly tough knot. She smiled at Steve's blissful expression and leaned over to kiss him lightly. "Hey, don't go falling asleep on me, soldier. Go find your own bed."

"Yes ma'am," he said, getting up. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"Love you too."

He returned to his own bed, and slept soundly through the night.

-A-a-A-

His over-protectiveness lingered, and he actively discouraged her search for an apartment. "There's no reason to go find anywhere else," he said. "This is pretty much your floor now, your own separate apartment. This is also the safest place in New York."

"But I'm not a superhero, I don't save the world, I can't just live off of Tony Stark."

"Ah, yes you can," Tony said, sticking his head into the living room, where they were arguing. "Half the city could live off my generosity."

"That's not the point, Tony," Amanda retorted.

"No, the point is you want to be independent," Tony said seriously. "So you can pay rent. Three hundred a month, since you _are_ a starving artist. You won't find a deal better than that on the planet."

The two men eyed her expectantly.

"It doesn't seem fair though," she said weakly.

"Well in return for you staying here, Steve is happy, Natasha and Pepper are happy, which means we're all happy. There's really no downside to this."

"Fine." She smiled. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Last chapter of continuous story. Some light angst, and then more fluff :)**

So Amanda adjusted to living in Avengers tower with some of the most famous people on the planet. It got her more famous, as well, and some of her pieces were selling for ridiculous prices. She didn't mind, much. As long as she had Steve.

It was a few days after she officially moved into the tower that Steve knocked on the open door of her studio. "Amanda?"

"Hmm," she said, putting the most delicate of carving marks on the wood figurine. She finished the square inch of detail and turned to look at him. He was in full uniform. Her heart sank. "You're going on a mission?"

"We all are," Steve said. "The Avengers have been called out."

"Is it bad?" she asked.

"It's not as bad as New York," he said frankly.

She nodded. "When will you be back?"

"Two or three days," he replied. "I'll try and call you."

"Don't worry about me," she said hastily.

He gave her a soft smile. "I always care about you."

She stood up and pulled him into a tight hug. "Be careful," she said quietly, kissing his neck, then his ear, then his cheek.

"I promise," he said, turning to kiss her on the lips. "I have to go. See you in a few days."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her again and reluctantly stepped back.

She watched him walk away, and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Two or three days never seemed so long.

-A-a-A-

The mission was relatively simple. HYDRA stronghold, break and bust. They were not expecting the soldiers in metal exoskeletons. That made the fight harder but it didn't change the expected outcome. They chased a group of soldiers into the surrounding mountains, and that extended the mission into the third day. It was a weary group of superheroes that reassembled on the quinjet.

"Let's go home," Steve said, closing the entry ramp.

Clint smirked at him. "Anxious, much?"

"Maybe."

Clint gestured to his broken arm with his other arm. "Well, I can't drive." He flopped into a seat.

Natasha rolled her eyes and slipped into the pilot's chair. "I'll drive."

"No!" all the others chorused.

" _I_ will drive," JARVIS said firmly, locking out all the pilot controls and remotely operating the jet.

"Wimps," Natasha muttered, gingerly stretching out.

"Just because you like to push 7 G's when you drive, it doesn't mean the rest of us are wimps," Tony told her.

"Wimps," she said again.

-A-a-A-

They finally got back to the tower around midnight, and as Steve exited the jet, his eyes were drawn to a small figure wrapped in a blanket and staring at him anxiously. He grinned, and if by magic all the aches in his body went away. Was this what it was like, having someone to come home to? He moved forward and swept Amanda into a hug. "Hey," he whispered, kissing her lightly. "You didn't have to wait up."

"Yes, I did," she said, tracing a bruise on his cheek lightly. "Are you hurt?"

"Only bruised."

She wrapped an arm around his waist. "Come inside, we kept some food heated up for you."

"What are we, chopped liver?" Tony asked plaintively, as the rest of the superheroes followed them. His question went unanswered. "Yep, chopped liver. JARVIS, get Pepper back from Malibu. I need some cuddles."

If JARVIS had eyes, he would have rolled them.

Amanda had soup, sandwiches, freshly baked cookies, and two pies waiting, as well as decaf coffee and tea.

"Wow," Clint said, accepting a bowl of soup gratefully. "You didn't have to do this, Amanda."

"I kind of had to," she said, sitting next to Steve. "When I get anxious I cook."

"I would think you'd go all tunnel vision artist," Tony said.

"Nah. I can't concentrate when I'm anxious. Only a serene heart can produce serene art."

"Poetic," Natasha murmured, through a mouthful of warm chocolate chip cookie.

Steve let out a massive yawn, nearly inhaling his grilled cheese sandwich as he did so. "Well, I'm going to bed."

"Good night," everyone chorused.

Amanda walked him to his room and kissed him gently outside the door. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I think I'm good. See you tomorrow?"

"Definitely."

She was halfway down the hallway when Steve's voice called back to her. "Uh, Amanda?"

"What's wrong?" she asked, turning back.

He was red-faced. "I can't take off my shirt."

She helped him ease the long sleeve uniform shirt and short-sleeved undershirt off, and gasped when she saw his torso - it was covered in deep purple bruises, and his shoulder was sliced up with what looked like glass cuts. "Oh, Steve," she said sorrowfully.

"It doesn't hurt much," he said.

"Liar." She pressed a gentle kiss to his other shoulder. "Just sit still and I'll get the first aid kit, all right?"

"All right."

She got the kit and came back to do the slow and painful job of pulling glass shards out of his shoulder, and cleaning his cuts. She watched, amazed, as all the superficial cuts healed themselves before her eyes. "How could you sit there and eat like that?" she wondered quietly.

He stifled a wince. "I'm a super soldier, Amanda, I can stand a bit of pain. It'll heal by tomorrow anyways."

"Still. You know that with me you don't have to be all stoic, okay?" She finished covering the lacerations and picked up a small bottle of oil. "Lavender oil for the bruises. Do you mind?"

"No, it's fine." He closed his eyes as she started to smooth the oil over his bruises. "Smells like you..." he said drowsily.

"My body wash is lavender."

"Mm."

She put the lid back on the bottle. "All done." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Go to sleep, Steve."

"Good night," he said, watching her leave. "And, thank you."

She smiled at him. "You're very welcome."

"I love you."

"Love you too." She closed the door behind her.

Steve got in bed, still sore, but ridiculously happy.

-A-a-A-

It was time for their weekly movie night. Everyone was actually there, this time, except for Amanda. "Where's your girl?" Clint asked.

The super-soldier frowned. "I don't know. She was going to meet us up here. JARVIS, where's Amanda?"

"Miss Hale is in her room," JARVIS replied.

"I'll go get her," Natasha said. She went to Amanda's room and knocked. "Amanda?"

"Come in," Amanda said absently.

Natasha entered and found the sculptor sitting on the bed, twisting a tiny statue around in her hands. "Aren't you going to watch the movie?" she asked.

"No, I'm okay."

"What's that?"

Amanda held it out. "My very first miniature statue."

It was a figure of a man in uniform, holding a book in his hands. "Who is it?" Natasha asked, noting the care taken in molding the features.

"My dad." Amanda smiled briefly. "He died five years ago, in Iran. Today is the anniversary of his death."

"I'm sorry," Natasha said, handing the statue back with a sympathetic frown.

Amanda shook her head. "He died doing his duty to his country. He didn't want us to be sad about it. I just," she sighed. "I don't want to be around people."

"I'll tell the others," Natasha said, nodding.

"Thanks."

Natasha returned to the living room and sat down gracefully next to Clint. "She's not in a movie mood," she said briefly.

"Is she okay?" Steve asked.

"She's fine."

"Don't even think about it," Tony warned, tugging him down.

Steve waited impatiently till the end of the movie and as soon as the credits rolled he jumped up to go to Amanda's room. "Amanda?" he asked gently.

She was laying on her bed staring at the ceiling this time. "Hey Steve," she said, smiling at him. "Come look for ceiling animals with me."

He sat next to her and craned his neck up. "What are we looking for?" he asked.

She took his hand and pointed out a shape on the ceiling. "That's a bear, see?" she asked.

"No..." He looked over at her, smiling. "Why are you looking for bears?"

"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my," she said wryly. "Just because. I got bored of staring at my statue of my dad."

His eyes widened. "Oh. It's..." he trailed off. "I'm sorry, Amanda."

She shrugged. "I'm okay. I just needed some time to think, you know?"

"Yeah." He kissed her forehead lightly. "All the time you need, doll."

She curled into his side and pressed her face to his shoulder.

"Tell me about him?" he requested, after a few minutes cuddling.

"He was great," she said, smiling faintly. "Even when he wasn't home he was always there, you know? He'd call us whenever he could and he'd send me letters and he'd always bring me something. We never celebrated birthdays, so he'd never miss them. Instead we'd do welcome home parties. And since they were his parties, he never missed a one."

Steve smiled. "That sounds like a great custom."

"It was. And when mom died, he took a sabbatical. It was nice. He would make me breakfast and take me to school, and then make me a snack, and help me with my homework. And when I got older he'd check into all my prospective boyfriends and threaten to make them vanish if they hurt me. It was so embarrassing, but it worked. I didn't have any boyfriends, because they were all too scared of my dad, and so I didn't want them."

Steve chuckled. "I bet your father was relieved."

"Oh, definitely." She pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "He would've liked you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She smiled at him. "You know he really loved Captain America. Thought you were, what's the phrase, the bee's knees?" She giggled. "Read all your comic books when he was a kid."

He groaned. "Those stupid comic books."

"All joking aside though, he really would have liked you. Strong, loyal, protective, and you obviously adore me, so... he probably wouldn't kill you." She gave him a teasing grin. "And even if he wanted to, I wouldn't let him."

"Oh yeah?" Steve asked, grinning. "And why's that?"

"Well, I obviously adore you, too." She kissed him.

He pulled her close. "Amanda?"

"Hmm?" she asked drowsily.

"Marry me?"

"Yeah."

He froze and looked down at her. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Amanda-"

"Shhhh," she said, pressing her fingers to his lips. "You're ruining the quiet, nonchalant moment that will define the rest of our lives."

He held still and pressed a kiss to her fingers. "Heaven forbid I do _that_ ," he said.

She fell asleep a few minutes later, and he wondered if she'd remember their conversation in the morning. He held her for a few more precious moments before tucking her under the covers and going to his own floor.

-A-a-A-

He was the first one up in the morning, so he went into the kitchen and turned on the coffeepot and picked up the newspaper. Tony laughed at him for wanting a paper edition when he could have it instantly on the screen, but there was something comforting about the black and white pages.

" _Good_ morning!" Amanda's voice called out as she waltzed into the kitchen. She pressed a kiss to his lips and stole a sip of coffee from his mug. "Isn't it a beautiful day?"

Steve glanced outside, at the rain and the slush, and raised an eyebrow. "If you say so," he said wryly.

"Absolutely," she said, smiling at him. "I'm with the man I love, drinking coffee, in a beautiful tower, in the greatest city in the world."

He smiled at her enthusiasm and kissed her lightly. "Amanda, about last night..." he started hesitantly, not wanting to break the mood.

Her smile dropped and she frowned at him uncertainly. "What about it?"

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Yes... don't you?"

"Yes, of course."

Her smile came back. "There we are then." She kissed him again.

"So we really did get engaged last night," Steve said, wanting to be absolutely clear.

"Yes, we really did get engaged last night," Amanda said, squeezing his hand lightly. "I said yes and you are stuck with me, soldier."

He smiled then, and leaned down to kiss her. "Just the way I like it," he muttered quietly.

" _Guys_ , it's too early for that stuff," Tony groaned, dragging himself into the kitchen. "Where's the coffee?"

The couple shared a glance, silently communicating. _Want to tell them? Yeah, later._

They waited until everyone was sitting down eating breakfast, and then Steve cleared his throat. "Ahem."

"What's up?" Clint asked.

"Amanda and I are engaged."

The quiet announcement made everybody freeze. Then, "Congratulations!" Pepper cried, jumping up to give Amanda a hug.

They all joined in with their congratulations, and Tony tapped Clint on the shoulder. "Pay up."

Clint groaned. "Oh, come on..." He handed Tony a twenty-dollar bill.

Natasha was more reserved. "You do know you can't tell anyone about this, right?" she asked the pair.

Steve sighed. "We know. It's a security risk."

"That's okay," Amanda said lightly. "You know, we know, that's all that matters." She smirked. "And the papers already think we've been married for months, anyways."

"You disappoint me, Cap," Tony said. "An old-fashioned man like you, I thought you'd do it in a sweeping gesture, a romantic date..."

"How do you know he didn't?" Amanda asked, wrapping an arm around Steve's waist.

"You two are positively glowing. You couldn't have hidden that look from any of us. The only time he could've proposed was last night before you went to sleep, and neither of you went out of the Tower. Ergo, it was a lame stuttering question while you were in your pajamas."

"He did not stutter," Amanda said archly. "It was sweet, and low-key and perfect. You can keep the flashy gestures, Mr. Billionaire."

Pepper gushed over them for a couple more minutes before leaving to work, and eventually everyone dispersed. Natasha was one of the last ones to leave. "I really am happy for you," she said. "I just don't want anyone to use your happiness against you."

"Thank you," Amanda said, taking a chance and giving her a brief hug.

Natasha looked surprised but smiled. Her grin turned mischievous. "And, you've made me a hundred bucks richer at the expense of Fury. So thanks for that." And she walked off.

Amanda and Steve shared a glance and she giggled. "I suppose it's a good thing?" she asked.

He nodded. "Of course."

They spent the morning in Amanda's studio (Stark had given her an extra room and turned it into a professional art studio, ignoring her protests that it was too much), and in the afternoon walked around looking for the best ice cream in town.

It wasn't until that evening that Steve asked the important question. "When, uh, when do you want to get married?"

She paused the movie and turned to look at him. "When do _you_ want to get married?"

"I don't know." He gave her a small smile. "If we could get married tonight, I would do it."

She grinned. "And whisk me away for a secret honeymoon?"

"Absolutely," he vowed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "But I don't think either of us would like to do things without some sort of planning."

She sighed in mock disappointment. "Too true." She frowned into her mug of hot cocoa. "What about three months?"

"Sounds good to me."

 **A/N 2: So, this is as far as I got in the actual story, but I will be posting a one-shot I wrote for Civil War when the trailers were first barely coming out. So, let's assume they got married and were blissfully happy and then the whole thing in Lagos went down.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is really just a stand-alone one shot of Civil War and the aftermath of it, so feel free to fill in the blanks :)**

"I didn't ask for this, any of it," Steve said coldly. He was just _so tired_ of fighting. He put down his shield. "I'm done."

"Wha- Steve?" Tony dropped his repulsors and flipped the faceplate up. "Do you think I want to fight? What are you talking about? All we want is for you to sign the stupid paper."

"No," Steve said, shaking his head. "I'm done. I didn't ask to be Captain America. I didn't ask to be in the future. I didn't want to be a superhero. I don't want to be a figurehead. And I _don't_ want to fight you, Tony." He pulled off the helmet, the jacket, and the gloves. He handed his shield to Tony. "I'm going home to my wife. If our friendship meant anything, you'll know what do with this."

Tony watched, dumbstruck, as Steve walked out of the building and slipped away through the crowds, just a normal guy. He turned to the unconscious Bucky, and knelt beside him. "Hey." A poke in the ribs. "Hey. Wake up."

Bucky woke up in a flash, grabbing the Iron Man's wrist tightly. "Where's Cap?" he asked warningly.

"Calm down. He's gone."

"What do you mean _gone?_ " Bucky seethed.

"I mean he literally walked out. Went home to Amanda." Tony sat down next to Bucky, the shield supported on his knees. He looked at the scratched paintwork and sighed, tipping his head back to clink against the cement divider. "This is yours now."

Bucky took the shield hesitantly. "What are you saying?"

"This is what Cap wanted, and frankly, it's the only way to get out of this. All this," he gestured around, "it's not worth it. Let's just go home."

That was how the Winter Soldier officially died, and Captain America and Iron Man walked out side by side. "Captain America is under my protection," Iron Man declared to the assembled SHIELD and government forces. "Nobody touches him."

On the way back to Stark Tower, "Captain America" escaped and then "died", giving both superheroes an easy out.

-A-a-A-

Steve arrived home, dirty, tired, but lighter than he'd ever felt in his life. "Honey?" he called.

"Steve!" Amanda was at his side in an instant, hugging him tightly. She'd been crying. "Steve, oh my goodness, what are you doing here? I was watching the news, they said Bucky was dead, how did you get here? Are you okay?" She buried her face in his shoulder, overwhelmed with relief.

He wrapped his arms around her, and breathed in the smell of her hair conditioner. "Everything's going to be okay, doll," he said softly. "I'm done."

She lifted her head to stare at him. "What are you talking about?"

He explained what had happened. "I'm not Captain America anymore," he finished. "I'm just plain old Steve."

She cupped his cheek, smiling slightly. "Plain old Steve," she echoed. "I think I can live with that." She stood up on tiptoes to kiss him. "But what happened to the others?"

Steve shook his head. "I don't know."

-A-a-A-

Once the story came out, Steve Rogers was officially declared dead, and the Avengers were scattered across the world. But the war was over, and the superhero registration act had died a quick death.

Tony appeared on their doorstep a couple years later. "Hi," he said, when Amanda opened the door. He eyed her rounded belly. "You've swallowed a planet."

Amanda gave him a cautious smile. "Yes I have. It's good to see you, Tony."

"Yeah, uh, you too." He gave her a quick hug. "Your husband home?"

"Why do you want to see him?"

Tony sighed. "I just want to see my old friend."

Amanda stepped back from the door. "Come on in. He's out back." She sat him down at the table and went to the back door. "Steve! Company!" She came back and poured three glasses of lemonade. "How's Pepper?" she asked.

Tony shrugged. "Amazing, as usual."

Steve came in from the back yard, a healthy sheen of sweat on his forehead from mowing the grass. "Stark," he said, surprised, and glanced around cautiously.

"I come in peace," Tony said, raising his hands. "Just me. Hi, Steve."

"Hi, Tony." He picked up a glass of lemonade and wrapped an arm around Amanda.

"You never came to your funeral," Tony said abruptly. "It was good. Full military honors and everything. People cried. I, uh, might have made a speech."

Steve nodded silently. He would never admit that he'd watched the full thing on YouTube, and possibly shed a tear at Tony's words.

"But anyways, enough about that, you two have been busy." Tony gestured to Amanda's baby bump. "When's the mini-Capsicle due?"

"In April."

"Nice. Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"How's Bucky?" Steve asked quietly.

"He's good. He, uh, he's living up to the name Captain America."

"That's good."

"Yeah."

Amanda punched Steve lightly in the shoulder. "For Pete's sake, guys, just hug it out. It's been two years."

They exchanged a brief grin and did so, sharing a brotherly hug. "We good?" Tony asked, stepping back.

Steve nodded. "We're good."

Tony stepped back. "Well, I've got to go. I, ah, I have a thing, in a couple hours, kind of have to be there." He gave Amanda a smile. "Tell me when the kiddo's born, I'll send you guys a state-of-the-art Stark baby monitor."

"Thanks, Tony."

-A-a-A-

 **A/N 2: I highly doubt I'm going to update this story again, so, everyone lived happily ever after, The End.**

 **Thanks for reading! :D**


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